Newseum
Use ‘War of the Worlds’ to Teach Media Literacy
Orson Welles' 1938 radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds" is the focus of a activity that looks at the importance of clarity in broadcasting. After listening to the radio broadcast, class members discuss the ethical obligations to...
Curated OER
"War of the Worlds": A Broadcast Re-Creation
Why did Orson Welles' 1938 Broadcast of a adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds cause such a panic? To answer this question, class members listen to the original broadcast and research the panic that resulted. They then engage...
Curated OER
The War of the Worlds
High schoolers discover the concept of media based on literature. In this War of the Worlds lesson, students read the novel The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and listen to the 1938 radio broadcast adaptation by Orson Welles. High...
Curated OER
Back to the Past
What was the Untied States like in 1938? What were the concerns of Americans in the post World War I era? What were their fears? What were their sources of news and entertainment? To understand the reaction to Orson Welles' radio...
Curated OER
A Movie in Your Mind: Persuasive Text
Students listen to a broadcast of War of the Worlds and illustrate what they hear. In this persuasive text lesson students prepare for making a movie poster intended to persuade a director to make a film based on a short story.
Curated OER
I Spy with my Little Eye…
Students read an article on Vienna. In this ESL lesson, students explore a recent incident between Russia and the United States, then complete several activities that reinforce the information in the article.
Curated OER
A Different Kind of Rock Star: Part 2
Students examine our society's fascination with Mars. For this journalism lesson students read an article that outlines the various ways Mars has captured our imagination and are given topics for discussion and a chart to...
Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society: Orson Welles, 1915 1985
A short biography of Orson Welles, director of many films including the acclaimed Citizen Kane. Welles is also well known for his reading of War of the Worlds over the radio in 1938, which caused many people to believe that the Earth was...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Oral Storytelling and Dramatization
Young scholars begin this lesson by discussing what makes a good, vivid story and creating a working checklist of the criteria for a good story. They explore background information about the Mercury Theatre production of the "War of the...
American Movie Classics Company
The Film Site: Film Noir
Crime and gangster movies, detective mysteries and more -- all are of the film noir genre. Get to know the history behind this style of films.